Friction shock absorbing mechanism



April 24, 1934. 1 F Q'CQNNOR l1,955,857

FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM Filed June 13, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l if ff i Fig! if Z4 l5 f Z4 Z/ 5gg:

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April 24, 1934. F, @CONNOR 1,955,857

FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM Filed June 13, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @f4 fr ,51 ff z Hl'llmull Patented pr. 24, 1934 UNTED STATES PATENT GFFIC John F. GConnor, Chicago, Ill., assignor to W.` H.

Miner, line., Chicago, lll., a corporation of Dela- War@ Application June 13, 1928, Serial No. 285,074 1 Claim. (Cl. 213-30) This invention relates to improvements in friction shock absorbing mechanisms.

One object of the invention is to provide a friction shock absorbing mechanism especially adapted for railway draft riggings, including a casing having interior opposed surfaces converging inwardly of the mechanism, spring resisted pressure transmitting members having sliding contact with said opposed surfaces, the pressure transmitting members being held yieldingly separated by laminated spring plate means including two spaced groups of transversely disposed, curved spring plate members which also yieldingly resist approach of the pressure transmitting members, the pressure transmitting members being provided with Wedge means adapted to wedge said two groups of spring plates apart to iiex the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shock absorbing mechanism of the character indicated, including a casing having opposed, interior faces converging inwardly of the mechanism and disposed at a wedging angle with respect to the longitudinal axis thereof, a pair of pressure transmitting shoes slidable on the opposed, interior faces of the casing, inward movement of the shoes being resisted by a main spring element and lateral approach of the shoes being yieldingly resisted by spring means interposed between the shoes, wherein the spring means comprises two sets of nested,curved spring plates, disposed transversely of the mechanism at opposite sides of the central axis of the same and having their ends seated in pockets provided in the shoes, the shoes having wedge projections for wedging apart the two sets of plates, thereby flexing the plates in a direction to straighten the same.

Other and further objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following. Y

In the drawings, forming a part of this specication, Figure 1 is a horizontal, longitudinal, sectional view of a portion of the underframe structure of a railway car, at one end of the same, illustrating my improvements in connection therewith. Figure 2 is a front end elevational view of my improved shock absorbing mechanism proper. tional view, corresponding substantially to the line 3-3 of Figure 1. And Figure 4 is a longitudinal, vertical, sectional View, corresponding substantially to the line 4-4 of Figure 1. In said drawings, -10 indicate the usual channel-shaped center or draft sills of the railway car underframe, to the inner sides of which are secured front stop lugs 11-11 and rear stop lugs 12-12. The inner Figure 3 is a vertical, transverse, sec-Y end of the coupler shank is designated by 13 and has operatively secured thereto a yoke member 14. My improved shock absorbing mechanism and the usual front main follower 15 are disposed within the yoke and the yoke is operatively supported by a detachable saddle plate 16 secured to the bottom anges of the draft sills.

My improved shock absorbing mechanism proper comprises, broadly, a casing A; two friction wedge shoes B-B; a main spring follower C; a main spring resistance D; and two sets of curved spring plates E-E.

The casing A is in the form of a substantially rectangular box-like casting, having longitudinal- Y ly disposed, spaced, vertical side walls 17-17, 70 horizontally disposed, spaced, top andrbottom walls 18-l8, and a transverse vertical rear end wall 19. The end wall 19 cooperates with the stop lugs l2 in the manner of the usual rear follower. At the forward end of the casing, the side walls 17 are thickened, as indicated at 20, the inner surfaces of the thickened portions being inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the mechanism, thereby providing flat wedge faces 2l-,-21. As clearly shown in Figure 1, the so wedge faces 21 converge inwardly of the mechanism. The enlarged or thickened portions 20 of the side walls provide transverse shoulders 22 at the inner ends thereof, which cooperate with the shoes B to limit their outward move- 85 ment and hold the same assembled with the casing A.

The shoes B-B are disposed at opposite sides kof the mechanism and are of similar design.

Each shoe B is provided with a transverse flat front end face 23 which bears'rdirectlyV on the inner side of the main follower 15. On the outer side, each shoe is provided with a longitudinally disposed, flat surface 24 which is at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the mechanism and cooperates With the wedge face 21 at the corresponding side of the casing A. At the inner end, each shoe is provided with a laterally outwardly extending flange 25 which engages inback of the stop shoulder 22 at the corresponding side of the casing, to limit the outward movement of the shoe, as hereinbefore pointed out.

' At the inner sides, the shoes are cut away to provide pockets 26-25. The pockets 26 are defined by spaced, horizontally disposed, top and bottom walls 27-27, and front and rear transverse walls 28-28. As clearly shown in Figures 1, 2 and 8, the inner edges of the top and bottom walls and end walls of each shoe are spaced from the inner edges ofthe corresponding Walls no of the other shoe such a distance as to permit the necessary lateral approach of the two shoes during a complete compression stroke of the mechanism.

Each of the pockets 26 is divided into two compartments by a central, laterally inwardly extending wedge projection 29. The wedge projection 29 has top and bottom wedge faces 30 and 3l, which converge inwardly of the mechanism and are disposed a relatively blunt wedging angle.

The two groups of spring plates E are disposed transversely of the mechanism, one group being arranged at the top and the other at the bottom of the same. As shown, each group is composed of a plurality of substantially rectangular spring plates which are curved lengthwise and are arranged in nested. relation, so that each group of plates forms, in effect, a single spring member. 'Ihe opposite ends of each group of plates are disposed in the pockets of the two shoes, respectively. As shown, the outer ends of the upper group of plates E bear respectively on the top wedge faces 30 of the wedge projections 29 of the shoes B, while the outer ends of the lower group of plates bear respectively on the lower wedge faces 31 of said wedge projections.

The convex outer surfaces of the two groups of plates bear respectively on the top and bottom walls of the shoes B, as most clearly shown in Figure 3. The plates are of such a size as to t the pockets so that there will be no longitudinal movement of the same within the pockets during the operation of the mechanism.

The main spring resistance D comprises an inner coil and aheavier outer coil, having their opposite ends bearing on the spring follower C and the rear end wall of the casing A. As shown in Figure 1, the end wall 19 of the casing is provided with a central boss which engages within the inner coil of the main spring resistance D to hold the same centered.

The spring follower C, which has the front i side thereof bearing on the inner ends of the shoes B, is also provided with a rearwardly eX- tending, central boss, engaging within the front end portion of the inner coil of the spring resistance, to center the same.l

To facilitate removal of the shoes B from the casing A, I provide the top and bottom walls of the casing with aligned key-receiving openings 32 immediately in back of the shoulders 22 of the side walls, the openings 32 being adapted to temporarily receive vertically disposed key members which act as guide means to prevent engagement of the anges 25 of the shoes B with the shoulders 22. `When it is desired to remove the shoes B, the mechanism is first compressed until the flanges 25 of the shoes clear the recesses 32.

The key members are then inserted through therecesses or openings 32 and the pressure removed from the shoes B, permitting the eXpan- ,f sive action of the spring resistance D to force vpast the shoulders 22 of the side walls of the casing' A without engaging the same, and the shoes are forcibly ejected by the spring D.

The operation of my improved shock absorbing mechanism, assuming a compression stroke, is as follows: The main front follower 15 and the casing A will be moved relatively toward each other, thereby forcing the shoes B inwardly of the casing, thereby compressing the main spring resistance D. During the inward movement of the shoes, the same will slide on the converging faces 21 of the casing and will be forced to approach each other laterally. The lateral approach of the shoes is yieldingly resisted by the two groups of spring plates E. As the shoes 'B approach each other, the outer ends of the two groups of plates E will be wedged apart by the wedge projections 29, thereby flexing the plates in a direction to straighten the same. The compression of the mechanism will continue either until the actuating force is reduced or movement of the follower 15 is limited by engagement with the outer end of the casing A.

The shoes B will be restored to normal position when the actuating force is reduced during release, by the expansive action of the main spring resistance D and also by the action of the laminated plate spring members E. Outward movement of the shoes is limited by engagement of the flanges 25 with the stop shoulders 22.

I'he main spring resistance and the laminated springs E are placed under initial compression when the mechanism is assembled, the tendency of the spring elements E to force the Vshoes B apart holding the engaging surfaces of the shoes and shell in contact at all times, thereby compensating for wear of these faces.

While I have herein shown and described what I consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications which come within the scope of the claim appended hereto.

I claim:

In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a main follower; of a casing, said main follower and casing being movable toward and away from each other, said casing being provided with interior, opposed wedge faces; a pair of pressure-transmitting friction wedge blocks engaged by said main follower, said blocks having outer inclined friction wedge faces in sliding engagement with said wedge faces of the casing, each of said blocks having spaced interior abutment faces; spring means yieldingly opposing inward movement of said blocks; means yieldingly opposing lateral approach of said blocks, including two groups of transversely disposed, elongated spring plates curved in the direction of their length disposed at opposite sides ofthe central longitudinal axisv of the mechanism and bearing between the ends on said abutment faces of the blocks, said plates of each group being successively of decreasing length from the inner to the outer side of said group; and interior projections on the blocks having inwardly converging wedge faces on opposite sides thereof, said projections engaging between the two groups of plates at opposite ends of said groups for forcing the ends apart upon relative approach of said blocks, said faces beingy in direct engagement with the extremities of said plates.

JOHN F. OCONNOR.

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